Rolando McClain, assault victim had long friendship

In a happier time, former Alabama football star Rolando McClain celebrates being taken in the first round of the NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders in April 2010. Rishard Tapscott, the assault victim alleged to McClain, said he attended the party as a friend of McClain's. (The Decatur Daily photo/Jeronimo Nisa)

From today's Huntsville Times

DECATUR, Alabama --Former University of Alabama football star Rolando McClain once lived with the man he's accused of threatening to kill on Wednesday night. The victim, Rishard Tapscott, said they were once "best friends."

But Tapscott said a misunderstanding over stealing a television led to the incident in McClain's hometown of Decatur that led to McClain's arrest on four misdemeanor charges and drew the ire of his coach with the NFL's Oakland Raiders.

In an interview with The Times on Friday, Tapscott said McClain said he would kill him, then pulled away a pistol pointed at Tapscott's head and fired it near his ear. And then McClain pointed the pistol at him again, Tapscott said.

"After he shot the gun, he put the gun in my face and said, 'I'll shoot you in the face.' He said, 'Show me that knife you got.' I said, 'All I've got is money.' And he just laughed."

Tapscott told The Times he did have a knife with him during the incident. "But I told him I wasn't fighting any more," he said.

McClain has been charged by Decatur police with four misdemeanors stemming from the incident with Tapscott on Wednesday night. McClain was charged with third-degree assault, menacing, reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm inside the city limits.

Also charged with third-degree assault in the case was Jerradius Willingham.

McClain's attorney, Billy Burney of Decatur, said McClain denied firing the gun and said he was not involved in the fight, according to The Associated Press.

"Mr. McClain asserts his innocence," Burney said in a statement to The AP. "We are confident that Mr. McClain will be cleared of all charges."

Tapscott said he and McClain were "best friends" at Oak Park Middle School in Decatur, and Tapscott said he was with McClain at his party for the NFL draft in April 2010. McClain was a first-round draft pick of the Raiders.

"I was with him this summer right before he left to go to Oakland in June," Tapscott said. "That's the last time I've seen him. He came back and he just changed."

Oakland Raiders coach Hue Jackson told reporters in California that McClain was in his hometown this week because of the death of his grandfather.

McClain is in the second year of a five-year contract worth a guaranteed $23 million and could go up to $40 million. Tapscott said he was not sure about filing a possible lawsuit against McClain.

According to Tapscott, McClain was angry because he thought Tapscott tried to steal McClain's brother's television in Tuscaloosa. Tapscott, who said he is in the process of moving back to Decatur from Tuscaloosa, said he was suspected of trying to steal the TV only because he was in Tuscaloosa last weekend.

"That made it the reason why they got to fight with me," Tapscott said.

Court records showed Tapscott was served an eviction notice from his Tuscaloosa apartment in September.

Tapscott said he went to the Skyview Street house in Decatur where the incident took place to play video games. But once he arrived, Tapscott said McClain and Willingham wanted to fight.

That scene contrasted with the longtime relationship Tapscott said he had with McClain. They were basketball teammates at Decatur High.

"He used to live with me in high school, with me and my family," Tapscott said. "He moved out with his mom and asked if he could move in with my family. I asked my family and they agreed. He stayed for about 3 or 4 months."

Late Friday afternoon, Decatur City school officials told The Decatur Daily that McClain was being asked to stay away from Friday night's basketball game between Decatur and Austin at Calhoun Community College.

The game is typically one of the biggest basketball games of the year in Decatur, and it is played at Calhoun because the college has a larger gym than either high school.

Police said Tapscott drove himself to the hospital after the incident.

Tapscott said he didn't say anything to McClain after his former classmate allegedly twice put the gun to his head.